Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/180

158 left weeping, knowing that she had fallen [into the snare] and that there was no escape for her. Then she said to Hassan’s sister, ‘O king’s daughter, this my strangerhood and severance from my country and family was ordained of God [and written] upon my forehead, and it becomes me to support with patience what my Lord hath decreed.’ Therewith the youngest princess assigned her a chamber, than which there was no goodlier in the palace, and ceased not to sit with her and cheer her and solace her heart, till she took comfort and her bosom dilated and she laughed and there ceased from her the trouble and oppression that possessed her, by reason of her separation from her people and family and country.

Then the youngest princess repaired to Hassan and said to him, ‘Arise, go in to her in her chamber and kiss her hands and feet.’ So he went in to her and did this and kissed her between the eyes, saying, ‘O princess of fair ones and life of souls and delight of beholders, be easy of heart, for I took thee but that I might be thy slave till the Day of Resurrection, and this my sister will be thy handmaid. O my lady, I desire nought but to take thee to wife, after the law of God and His Apostle, and if thou wilt, I will journey with thee to my country and carry thee to the city of Baghdad and abide with thee there. Moreover, I will buy thee slaves, male and female, and I have a mother, of the best of women, who will be thine handmaid. There is no goodlier land than ours; everything there is better than elsewhere and its folk are pleasant and bright of face.’

As he bespoke her thus and strove to comfort her, what while she answered him not a syllable, there came a knocking at the palace-gate. So Hassan went out to see who was at the gate and found there the six princesses, who had returned from hunting, bringing with them great plenty of gazelles and wild oxen and